Stade Toulousain won with difficulty this Sunday evening at Ernest-Wallon against Lyon (27-19), despite the return of 9 international “chemelards”. A victory, in a sold-out stadium, which nevertheless allows the Rouge et Noir to return to third place in the Top 14.
The match started well for Toulouse with 2 tries to 0 in the first period. Four “chemelards” start on the match sheet: Peato Mauvaka, Thibault Flament, Matthis Lebel and Thomas Ramos. Rory Arnold scores the first try from the game by countering a kick from Lyon (3rd), Peato Mauvaka marks the second in power (9th). Thomas Ramos misses the first two conversions but registers two penalties.
Without being flamboyant, Stade Toulousain leads at the break (16-9). The Lyonnais had the opportunity to come back but saw their only try of this first half refused.
Thomas Ramos delivers Stade Toulousain
The second half is a lot more difficult for Toulouse residents. The Lyon scrum-half Baptiste Couilloud against a kick from Martin Page-Relo and flattens Lyon’s first try (48′). The Lou is revived.
The Toulouse staff made a multiple change two minutes later. Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack, Julien Marchand and François Cros return to the lawn, joined a few moments later by Cyril Baille. It is then necessary wait for the 74th minute of play to see the people of Toulouse take the lead after spending more than a quarter of an hour at 19-19.
The solution comes from Thomas Ramos after a double breakthrough from Romain Ntamack and Cyril Baille. The Toulouse back flattens and transforms. The end of the match remains tense, however. Lyon misses two penalties to clinch the defensive bonus. Le Lou leaves Ernest-Wallon with empty pockets.
Stade Toulousain climbs to third place on the podium by beating a direct opponent. Place now at derby against Castres next Saturday (3 p.m., Pierre-Fabre stadium), which promises to be hot. As a reminder, Ugo Mola’s men humiliated the Castres in the first leg by beating them 41-0.